Report prepared by Krishna R.K.V., Flat No.515, Tower 3, Block B1, Bonsai Apt.

Readings taken over 7 days between 17 th

September to 24th September, 2016. Please call - Ph:8978733633 for any clarifications.

Water and Electricity Issues - Tower 3 & 4

(Disclosure: I do not have the time or interest to observe tower 4 bore

water/electricity issues and therefore, restricting the report to tower 3
issues and 4th tower dependencies with tower 3. I have no interest in
supervising or handling the daily maintenance. I have done this report
solely with a view to creating awareness and helping residents
understand the issues.)

Observations:-

1. The bore in tower 3 works partially now and is in a way incapacitated

by the fact that one of the motors has got stuck while Sheriff and
Srinadh were trying to remove the motor after failure. Ever since, the
motor is stuck. No attempts were made to remove the stuck motor
professionally. The bore has plenty of water to supply entire towers 1-4
but for the stuck motor. Previously, the tank used to fill up in 1.5 hours.
Its like a paddy field bore unlike tower 2 bore. The flow rate is high and
can easily be used to irrigate 1-2 acre spinach field. Tower 1 and 4 bores
are dry. Professional help must be sought to remove the stuck motor.

2. The present situation is that another new motor has been lowered
and is functioning. Readings over several days has shown that the motor
is capable of pumping 6 minutes of water for every hour rested with
heavy flow rate. Even if rested for 2 hours or 4 hours or 8 hours or even
24 hours, the motor pumps only for 6 minutes continuously for every 1
hour gap.

3. If left ON, the motor pumps run sporadically with intermittent breaks
delivering very less or no water. The bore motor of 7.5 HP is near the
entry while the sump motor of 5 HP is inside the sump near the exit of
tower 3.

4. Entire Tower 4 (40 flats) water is being supplied from Tower -3 water
overhead tank. The tower -4 water valve is switched off. Only 10 flats
are being supplied water from tower -4 tank.

5. Previously, the pump used to be ON 24 hours or at least more than

18 hours a day whether the pump is pumping water or not. When other
motors run in tandem the power factor rises ; for ex: lifts or sump motor
and bore motor running together etc. I was told by the security that
supervisor has given specific instructions to run the motors together for
tower 3, which is very odd and strange.

6. The bore water is drawn from tower 3 and is used to run the RO plant
in tower 4. While the RO reject water is being pumped back into the
same bore water tank of tower 3. Tower 3 residents are not aware that
their bathing/brushing needs are being met by bore water mixed with
RO reject water. Upon inquiry it was stated by Pinku who maintains the
RO for all towers that the water looks clear and good. Sheriff does not
maintain. Only when something burns up or does not work he calls the
technician/electrician/plumber to fix it up.

7. Tower 4 does not have a separate STP/reject water tank, the tower 3
STP/reject water tank serves those needs of Tower 4.
Report prepared by Krishna R.K.V., Flat No.515, Tower 3, Block B1, Bonsai Apt. Readings taken over 7 days between 17 th
September to 24th September, 2016. Please call - Ph:8978733633 for any clarifications.

8. The RO tank is 2000 litres in tower 3 while the RO tank near the
tower 4 plant is 5000 litres. Tower 4 RO tank has not been cleaned and
is not being used. Everyday, both towers use 2 loads of RO water. That
is 4000 litres for 100 apartments or 40 litres for each apartment and is
pumped once in the morning and once in the evening. 2 cans of water
per household/day when restricted to filling the tank only twice/day. No
TDS readings are taken, monitored or communicated/published to
apartment owners. The apartment owners blissfully consume RO which
at most times is unsuitable for consumption. The inlet pump leaks
profusely due to flange wear. RO has no maintenance. The pressure
vessel was broken and not replaced for 9 months. Sheriff himself is
unskilled and does not even check - though he has been instructed orally
and the staff have no idea what to do. No records are maintained for
TDS readings, filter changes, maintenance etc,.

Explanation:

1. In electrical engineering, the power factor of an AC electrical power

system is defined as the ratio of the real power flowing to the load to
the apparent power in the circuit, and is a dimensionless number in
the closed interval of −1 to 1. A power factor of less than one means
that the voltage and current waveforms are not in phase, reducing
the instantaneous product of the two waveforms (V × I).
Real power is the capacity of the circuit for performing work in a
particular time. Apparent power is the product of the current and
voltage of the circuit. Due to energy stored in the load and returned
to the source, or due to a non-linear load that distorts the wave
shape of the current drawn from the source, the apparent power will
be greater than the real power. A negative power factor occurs when
the device (which is normally the load) generates power, which then
flows back towards the source, which is normally considered the
generator.

2. In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws

more current than a load with a high power factor for the same
amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the
energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and
other equipment. Because of the costs of larger equipment and
wasted energy, electrical utilities will usually charge a higher cost to
industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power
factor.

3. Linear loads with low power factor (such as induction motors) can be
corrected with a passive network of capacitors or inductors. Non-
linear loads, such as rectifiers, distort the current drawn from the
system. In such cases, active or passive power factor correction may
be used to counteract the distortion and raise the power factor. The
devices for correction of the power factor may be built into power-
consuming equipment.

4. The staff who put on or off the motors do not check if the tank is full
or not. They have no idea of how long it takes for the tanks to fill.
The amount of time to fill the over head tanks must be measured and
calculated based on the flow rate. Likewise, the amount of time to fill
the club house tanks. Each tower has different sized tanks. Periodic
preventive maintenance, wherein the plumber goes to every flat and
checks unreported leakages is a MUST.
Report prepared by Krishna R.K.V., Flat No.515, Tower 3, Block B1, Bonsai Apt. Readings taken over 7 days between 17 th
September to 24th September, 2016. Please call - Ph:8978733633 for any clarifications.

5. Usage of lifts by maids, milkman, and newspaper deliveryman must

be regulated and they must be told to use the steps for single floor
movements, or to start from the top and work their way to the
bottom floors. Or even lifts can be switched off during the early
morning hours (6-7am).

6. Installing a capacitor/stabilizer is a must for bore and sump motors

to correct this power factor which fluctuates between 0.43 to 0.98 in
tower 3 depending on the use of motors and lifts and bore pump. The
motors, lifts, and other machinery are being operated
simultaneously. Also, motors put ON simultaneously draws more
current than when done spaced out. The electricity department bills
80% of average power factor or meter reading, which ever is higher.
Thus, tower 3 electricity bills are higher due to instructions of putting
the motors ON continuously and at the same time while security does
not operate motors at evening or night time since they go to sleep.

Recommendations/Solutions:-

a) The 2 tanks at the sump level should be connected and, actually, one
of the 5 HP motor has been removed. Only one tank is being used.
The motors should be used alternatively. When both tanks are
connected, residents can be assured of back up water for a day. Also,
if both motors are used, one will act as back up even if one burns
out.

b) Automatic switching on and off for 6 minutes with a sleep timer of

55 minutes should solve the T3 bore motor problem as well as
manual intervention is eliminated (unskilled labour).

c) A total of 2 hours/day run time of bore motor burns around 30

units/day. There is sufficient water even if it is run this way. There
is actually no need for tower 2 water. The reason for using tower 2
bore is that the current system is not automatic (I.e., the switch is
manual - it should be automatic with sleep for 1 hour and timer to
run for 6 minutes) and presently, there is heavy manual intervention.

d) RO reject water must be put in STP tank, it is being put in daily use
tank for bathing and washing.

e) The timings for sump motor to overhead tank must be between 1 am

to 6 am. No day time pumping should be done.

f) The tube lights need to be reduced from 8 to 5 for every floor, i.e.,
one near the lifts and 4 in the four corners. Also, tube lights need to
be switched off at 9.30 pm instead of 10 pm. Thereafter, the
individual apartment owner who requires it can switch it on, if
needed. LED lights must be used instead of current tube lights.

g) Rain water drain pipes in each tower can be connected to flow into
the sump instead of wasting it as there is only one RWH pit for entire
Bonsai. Many drain pipes are located higher than the drain holes, so
water stagnates.

h) Awareness must be created by painting the wall near both lift

entrances with blackboard paint, so that apartment owners will be
put to notice regarding TDS readings everyday and usage of
electricity or other issues. Displaying TDS readings can help residents
Report prepared by Krishna R.K.V., Flat No.515, Tower 3, Block B1, Bonsai Apt. Readings taken over 7 days between 17 th
September to 24th September, 2016. Please call - Ph:8978733633 for any clarifications.

choose whether to consume the water or not. Acceptable readings for

water consumption are to be less than 80 TDS and more than 20.
While readings are 200+. Bore water has TDS of 600-700.

i) Cost per stabilizer will be max Rs.3000/- for each motor. The cost for
automatic switch with timer will be max Rs.1500/-. That’s Rs.9000/-
for each tower and is better than paying huge electricity bills,
manpower every month.

j) Decision to continue RO plant should be voted upon.

Accountability, cleaning of tanks, noting down readings of TDS and
electricity meters must be done daily and published for each tower.

k) Ranjan and Hari of tower 3 had conducted a survey in Tower 3 and

found that 75% of apartments have installed RO and the rest 25 %
flats are subscribing to cans. The problem arises that RO is being
duplicated at the flat and towers level. Water is wasted twice,
electricity is consumed without any benefit + labour costs for running
the RO plant. Some are of the view that apartment owners have
paid/invested in the RO plant. That, ways should be found to
continue to run RO plant economically. No suggestions/ideas for who
will supervise, take accountability, publishing of TDS or costs or
electricity meter readings were suggested.

l) If RO is eliminated, 90% of tower 3 water and electricity problems

will be solved. I am of the view that RO serves no purpose even if we
paid for it. It is not economical, untrustworthy, labor intensive
considering the AMC, filter changes and costs, electricity costs, water
wastage and misuse. Its way too difficult to enforce and is prone to
heavy misuse.

Conclusions:

Sherriff must be let go. He is not competent and lackadaisical. Several

times, inspite of telling the security (via phone) to switch off the motors
- he is vigorously telling the security and overrides my instructions. The
bore motor is currently being switched off by switching off entire power
supply of tower-3 and then switching it on immeidtaly. I have a video for
evidence. The motors are being run continuously. When asked where
Sheriff is - either he is gone for lunch or hospital or electricity office or
some story comes.

When the above measures were supervised and implemented for 7 days,
the electricity meter readings dropped substantially from 140 units to
50-60 units/day though the staff still practiced surreptitiously by putting
the motors after I left. The power factor also increased to 0.95

Elect a floor leader for each floor, all floor leaders elect a tower leader,
collect your maintenance and apportion a certain amount for common
area maintenance. Rest fix your floor areas first. Secure a corpus for
spares, especially spare motors. The present system (society) is a dud
with people only vying for positions without any accountability or
responsibility.

I sincerely wish people take ownership, responsibility, accountability and

supervise - at least in turns. Apartment owners cannot afford politics in
matters that affect apartment owners and their families health.
Report prepared by Krishna R.K.V., Flat No.515, Tower 3, Block B1, Bonsai Apt. Readings taken over 7 days between 17 th
September to 24th September, 2016. Please call - Ph:8978733633 for any clarifications.

Description ON OFF
Street Lights Dusk 12.oo pm
5.oo am 6.oo am
Floor Lights Dusk 10.oo pm
Instead of 8 lights; reduce to 5 tubelights/floor
and keep lift light on until 6.oo am
Sump/overhead 4.oo am 6.oo am
Motor
3.oo pm 5.oo pm
Bore Motor 6 Mins /Hour
RO to be filled only once in the morning (2000 Lts for 100 Apartments)
if voted to be kept running.

Sheriff says he goes to electricity office in DE, Patancheru, every month,

whether he is making up stories to reduce electricity bill, thereby helping
residents. Its all make believe stories, when in actuality, he is the water
abuser. I seriously take objection to his continued working causing loss,
hardship to apartment owners. RO is a huge burden. Please vote, amend
and simplify your life.